Original recipes and photos with a hearty measure of facts, family, inspiration and humor. Everything food. Some reviews of area restaurants, some whimsical prose for reading pleasure.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

A Delicious Quiche on the Cheek!

I have always adored quiche and the simple elegance of it's ingredients and design. My nephew and fellow foodie Rob Holland often made the quiches served at the Peaks of Otter Retreat and Restaurant, a beautiful lodge nestled in the Bedford area of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which sadly closed it's doors just last week. One day while reminiscing about the decadence of his quiches, I decided to create one of my own, using some apples that my sister Terry and I picked fresh from the trees and along the ground one day whilst dropping by to see Robbie at work. I wanted a unique quiche but with traditional and easily accessed and less expensive ingredients, and I came up with this crowd pleaser. The recipe makes 2 9 inch deep dish quiches that will freeze well, if you only need one. It is amazingly simple to prepare and will have your family thinking you spent hours preparing this savory dish perfect for a casual breakfast, brunch or lite dinner. Just pair this with some fruit or a green salad for a complete and satisfying meal, strutting your inner gourmet stuff! Vegetarians or less meat enthusiasts can simply add sauteed mushrooms in place of the sage sausage for a wholesome, filling and hearty cacophony of wonderful flavors. The taste is as exciting and warm like your first kiss from the beginning, to the end.Sausage, Apple and Spinach Quiche
2 deep dish pie crusts
1/2 lb. good quality sage sausage
1 c. chopped onion
4 tbsp.salted butter
2 c. fresh tender spinach
1 c. firm apples, small dice
1 can evaporated milk, plus 4 oz. water to make 2 c.
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. Sriracha
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4. c. Parmigiano Reggiano
SPST
Preheat oven to 425*F.
In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, cook sausage and onions until sausage is no longer pink. Drain.
Add butter and stir until melted
Fold in spinach until wilted and turn off heat. SPST
Fold in apples and set aside.
Meanwhile, slightly beat eggs, milk and Sriracha until blended. SPST
Divide sausage mixture b/t crusts and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano, then mozzarella, then cheddar.
Pour egg mixture equally over cheeses.
Bake at 425* for 15 minutes. Cover loosely with foil.
Reduce heat to 300* and bake an additional 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Each quiche makes 6 servings.

This recipe freezes well when wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and will keep for 3 months.
Variations may be made to this recipe to reduce fat and calories like using extra lean turkey, fat free evaporated milk and/or reduced fat cheeses.